Before being elected to Congress, Mr. Early served six terms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, from 1963 to 1974.

A US Navy veteran, Mr. Early started his career as a high school teacher in Spencer and Shrewsbury. He lost his seat in the U.S. House in 1992 to Peter I. Blute, a Shrewsbury Republican, after a House banking scandal.

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Mr. Early was cleared of criminal wrongdoing four days before the 1992 election.

US Representative James P. McGovern, D-Worcester, who defeated Mr. Blute in 1996, spoke fondly of Mr. Early today.

“Joe Early was an incredible public servant who fought tirelessly for working people. From championing economic development to his tireless advocacy for medical research, Joe Early was a man who truly made a difference,” Mr. McGovern said in a statement. “Our community, our commonwealth and our country are better because of him.”

“My thoughts and prayers are with the Early family as we mourn the loss of former Massachusetts Congressman Joe Early,” Murray said.

“Joe was a tenacious advocate for both central Massachusetts and the Commonwealth, first serving in the state legislature then in the U.S. Congress. From his leadership in establishing UMass Medical School in Worcester to securing federal NIH funding to benefit health and science research in Massachusetts, today the Commonwealth continues to build on his successes and his legacy will never be forgotten,” Murray said.